Durable Solutions and Return of IDPs in Azerbaijan

Abstract

The Azerbaijani government has consistently advocated for a 'return' to Karabakh as the only viable solution to the protracted displacement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country. In 2022, the government initiated the 'Great Return' programme, aiming to resettle 140,000 IDPs to their places of origin in Karabakh by the end of 2026. Drawing on data from two separate sets of semi-structured interviews conducted in different years - 2011 and 2023 - in Azerbaijan, this article explores interviewees' viewpoints on the conditions of forced displacement and potential durable solutions. The findings suggest that while the desire to return proved a consistent theme in both 2011 and 2023, the context has shifted significantly - from a sense of hope and uncertainty in 2011 to cautious optimism coupled with practical concerns about resettlement in 2023.